Windows 7 has no email client, why?

Question

I am aware that Windows 7 has no built-in email client like Vista's Windows Mail and that Microsoft wants 7 users to now use Windows Live Services.

Is there any supporting technical documentation that explains why an email client was not included in Windows 7?

Answer 1

They seem to want people to use Windows Live Mail which is a free download. Why didn't they just include it? Antitrust issues? I don't know. I haven't read anything official from Microsoft.

This is what they say about getting e-mail in Windows 7 from their website.

An e‑mail program or web-based e‑mail service. You can download or purchase e‑mail programs from Microsoft or another provider. E‑mail programs often have more features and are faster to search than most web-based e‑mail services. Before you set up an e‑mail program, you'll need to get some information from your ISP: usually your e‑mail address, password, the names of your incoming and outgoing e‑mail servers, and certain other details.

If you don't want to download or purchase an e‑mail program, you can instead sign up with a free web-based e‑mail service, such as Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail, or Yahoo! Mail. These services allow you to check your e‑mail with a web browser from any computer connected to the Internet—even a computer that belongs to someone else or is in a public location such as a library.

If I had to guess, they want more people signing up for and using webmail to help drive some advertising revenue.

Answer 2

I was under the impression that the email client was left out for antitrust reasons. Windows comes on a DVD these days, and there is more than enough space to add a ~20mb email client.

If you open the start menu and type "mail", the first result will be "Go Online to Get Windows Live Essentials", which allows you to very easily download and install Windows Mail.

Answer 3

Because it kind of contravention answer :

Windows Mail is no longer included in Windows; however your e-mail files and settings will still be available after the upgrade. To send and receive e-mail you will need to install a new e-mail program. To decrease the size of the package, Microsoft decided not to include email capability with Windows 7

(or)

Windows 7 has an email client included: See folder \Program Files\Windows Mail\ Within this folder there is a HIDDEN file "WinMail.exe".

You can get e-mail programs from other software manufacturers or from the Microsoft website.

Source 1

Source 2